This disclosure relates to the formation of fabric preforms for composite components. In particular, this application relates to manipulation of a fabric to improve fabric preform quality.
Composite components are often used in applications in which having a high strength-to-weight ratio is important such as, for example, aircraft components. Many structural composite components can be made by wrapping a high-strength fabric around a form to create what is known as a fabric preform, applying a resin to the fabric preform, and then curing the resin to form the final composite component.
However, when wrapping multiple layers of material around a form or mandrel, it is notoriously difficult to create a fabric preform without flaws that compromise the structural integrity of the final composite part. During wrapping, the applied fabric may become distorted, creating wrinkles or waviness in the fabric preform. Any unintended areas of bulk that develop before application of the resin can result in non-uniformity in the final component and result in less than ideal mechanical properties.
Hence, a need exists for improved techniques for applying fabric to a form and, more specifically, for reducing and eliminating areas of imperfection during wrapping.